‘Cowboy Dad’ Tommy Jordan Has Some Choice Words for Dr. Phil

Tommy Jordan, the computer savvy cowboy father with a very interesting approach to parenting, has inadvertently sparked a huge national discussion on whether or not he overreacted when he pumped his daughter’s laptop full of lead in response to her foul-mouthed letter of grievance that she posted to her Facebook page. The viral video even prompted daytime TV talk show host Dr. Phil to weigh in on the debate when he spoke out against Jordan’s techniques on ‘Today.’

Dr. Phil says in the interview that Hannah probably learned to be so offensively outspoken from her father and that parents should never publicly humiliate their kids because of the potential mental anguish that it can cause. Phil points out the hypocrisy in Mr. Jordan punishing his daughter for publicly belittling her parents by posting a public video response on YouTube. In Texas, those are what we call “fighting words.”

Whether or not you agree with Dr. Phil’s assessment of this situation (73% polled on MSNBC survey don’t), Tommy Jordan isn’t the type of guy to take ridicule without a rebuttal.

On Tommy’s blog, the Cowboy Dad posted a YouTube response to Dr. Phil’s critique where he exposes the good doctor for being a total hypocrite. Mr. Jordan argues that while posting a public video to punish his daughter may not have been the best way to handle his unruly teen, Dr. Phil publicly humiliates troubled teens and struggling parents on his show every day, to an even wider audience.

Jordan goes on to say that if Phil actually cared about the people he helped he would offer his guests counseling behind closed doors rather than on television, for a massive talk show host-sized paycheck.

Will Dr. Phil continue this little internet skirmish? Who makes the better points and who is the bigger hypocrite? Whatever happens, it’s safe to say that we haven’t heard the last from the “cowboy dad.”